CHAPTER 48: Lines Drawn in Blood

CHAPTER 48: Lines Drawn in Blood
CHAPTER 48: Lines Drawn in Blood
When morning came reluctantly to the Moretti estate, Riccardo was the first non-staff member of the household to get out of bed.
He stood outside the main guest room, fuming and he lifted his hand to knock. He had gone to Luca's bedroom first, only to be told by Isabella that he had spent the night in the guest room.
So Luca had left his huge bedroom for Isabella and slept in the guest room? Was he that far gone?
When there was no response after his third knock, Riccardo actually began to bang angrily on the door, and this actually did the trick.
Luca’s voice finally came, distracted and distant. “Come in. The door isn't locked.”
Riccardo pushed the door open to see Luca seated lazily on the bed, with his injured shoulder carefully shielded as he focused all his attention on his phone.
He didn't even pretend to look at Riccardo.
Riccardo hesitated, clearly irritated by the whole thing before he forced it down. This wasn’t the time for ego. He had come here for a reason…to do something he rarely did and despised even more.
Apologize.
He cleared his throat. “Luca.”
There was no response from Luca. He simply continued scrolling and typing on his phone, before breaking into a small private smile.
Riccardo frowned.
“Luca,” he said again, much louder than before.
There was still no response, and the silence stretched even longer. Riccardo took another step into the room, closing the door behind him with a muted click.
“I wanted to talk,” he began calmly, telling himself that Luca would hear anyway.
Luca murmured something under his breath…too quiet to catch…but his attention never left the phone. His eyes had a softened look in them that Riccardo had never seen before, and he wondered what on earth was holding Don Luca Moretti’s attention hostage on that phone.
Riccardo’s irritation deepened, but he continued all the same.
“I’m not here to argue or fight with you Luca…I’m simply here to clear the air on a few things.”
Luca mumbled something again that sounded like encouragement, then went back to whatever cursed thing he was doing.
Riccardo sighed. “About the other day. I shouldn’t have said some of the things I did.”
Luca smiled faintly at the phone.
Riccardo stared at him, and disbelief swept across his face, but he refused to be discouraged and continued, forcing the words out one after another.
“I wasn’t trying to disrespect you or anything. I was just concerned. About you. About the family. About the business.”
Luca finally stopped scrolling.
For one hopeful second, Riccardo thought he had succeeded in getting his attention.
Then Luca typed something quickly, locked the screen, and set the phone face down on the bed…carefully, before leaning back with a satisfied ‘ahhh’.
Then he jerked up suddenly as if he had just remembered something. He lifted his eyes and finally noticed Riccardo, then he gave him a cold and impatient glare.
“What?”
Riccardo was momentarily thrown off. “What do you mean, what?”
“You must have been talking for a while,” Luca replied with disinterest. “Get to the point already.”
There was something bored and dismissive in his tone that sent anger raging inside Riccardo, and he didn't hide his frustration when he replied.
“I just fucking apologized to you.”
Luca looked at him in surprise. “Did you?”
Riccardo stared at him. “Of course I did.”
Luca shook his head and leaned back, clearly unimpressed. “I must have missed it.”
That did it. Riccardo’s control finally reached its limit and he exploded. “You weren’t even listening, were you?”
“I told you to get to the point,” Luca hissed viciously at him.
“The point,” Riccardo snapped, “is that I was wrong to push you the way I did. I let my temper get the better of me. But it came from concern, Luca. You’re injured. We’re exposed. Vazquez isn’t done. And you’re…”
“Shut the fuck up, Riccardo!” Luca yelled, cutting him off before he could go further.
Riccardo froze, completely caught off guard by the sudden attack.
Luca surged to his feet, with one hand bracing against the upper frame of the bed as his injured shoulder protested. His eyes were now carrying a deadly look in them.
“I have no interest in listening to this right now,” he said curtly.
Riccardo’s mouth fell open. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me clearly, Riccardo. I didn't stutter, did I?”
Riccardo took a hesitant step forward. “But I came here in good faith.”
“And I just told you that I don’t have the patience for it,” Luca shot back. “Whatever it is you think you need to say can wait until the evening.”
Riccardo’s face went red at the perceived insult. “Are you dismissing me like a common servant?”
“I’m prioritizing the use of my time,” Luca replied without hesitation.
Riccardo’s laugh was bitter. “Prioritizing what time? The one you want to spend on your phone?”
Luca's eyes went to the phone on the bed, and Riccardo got his answer. Something ugly twisted in his chest and he didn't hold back.
“It’s her isn't it? You’re letting her distract you again,” he said with a dangerous tone.
Luca moved like lightning, and he closed the distance between them in a single step, towering over Riccardo as he glared murderously at him.
“I’m warning you, Riccardo,” Luca said quietly, “don’t even think about mentioning her name, or…”
“Or what!?” Riccardo growled at him.
Luca leaned close to his ear and whispered with a lethal tone. “Or you’ll find out exactly how little patience I have left.”
For a moment, they stood locked in a silent standoff…years of shared blood, loyalty, and rivalry all vibrating between them.
Riccardo broke first. He took a step back, scowling visibly, with his pride bleeding through the humiliation that burned in his chest.
“I came to make peace,” he said coldly. “Clearly, that was a mistake.”
Luca didn’t respond.
Riccardo nodded slowly, as if confirming something only he could see.
“Fine,” he said. “We’ll talk later.”
He turned sharply and walked toward the door.
“Riccardo.”
The sound of his name stopped him just inches from the exit.
He turned back, and a little bit of hope rose inside his heart despite himself.
Luca didn’t look at him.
“Don’t interrupt me again today,” Luca said calmly. “Not unless someone is dead.”
Riccardo’s hope curdled into fury. He opened the door and left without another word, angrily jamming the door behind him. He walked fast, ignoring the looks thrown his way by guards and staff who sensed the anger that was radiating off him.. His hands shook with rage, and he didn't stop muttering bitterly to himself about loyalty, humiliation, and stupidity.
He finally stopped at the end of the hallway, breathing heavily as he stared out one of the tall windows overlooking the estate grounds.
Isabella Lorenzo…The name burned in his mind.
Luca had always been decisive and ruthless when necessary.
Now?
Now he was distracted and soft. But one thing was now completely clear to him. If Luca wouldn’t listen…
Then someone else would have to act.
Loyalty had limits.
And Luca Moretti was crossing them.
If Luca refused to protect the family and the empire, then Riccardo would.
Even if it meant removing Luca himself.